The Mandala
Cassie tells Abigail she would like to start teaching and put her art degree to use. Joy arrives, put off by a reminder of a relationship with an ex that seemed cursed. Abigail says, “Welcome to my world,” as her relationship with Donovan literally is cursed.
At the hospital Sam breaks the news to Adam that he has a tumor. His arm falling asleep helped to detect it early. He wants to perform surgery to remove the tumor tomorrow.
Abigail, Joy and Martha investigate the ruby and are happy to find no further cracks, which is reassuring as the curse says, “If true love completely breaks the heart, the curse is sealed and shan’t depart.” Joy notices the 200-year-old music box key fits a hole in the M of the Middleton Medallion on the box. Upon inserting the key, a message is revealed on the box, “A breaking heart can only stop with luck, love and one teardrop.” The riddle gives Abigail hope that the curse can be broken.
Adam tells Stephanie about his surgery the following day. She insists he tell his parents and not go through this alone. He assures her he is not as he has Stephanie.
Joy thinks a cryptologist could help Abigail solve the riddle to break the curse. As they are talking a fine arts professor, Professor Barnes, stops in to buy chocolates for a colleague who is leaving. She asks if they happen to know anyone that could fill in and teach about French Impressionism. Joy and Abigail share a look at they know just the person – Cassie!
Cassie is excited about a possible opportunity to teach just as Martha is excited about spending time with her son and daughter-in-law. Cassie is optimistic for Martha’s quality time with her daughter-in-law, explaining, “Sometimes when you get to know someone, we get to know ourselves even more.”
Joy can tell something is eating at Carter as they work. She asks if he is in the doghouse with his girlfriend, Mia. Joy is right on target; Mia wants Carter to go to a fancy dinner with her bosses. Joy advises ditching would be the worst thing he could do. He should go and be sure to dress to impress.
Abigail drops off a business card from Professor Barnes to Cassie as she is expecting Cassie’s call. Abigail wishes Cassie good luck and asks for some of her own. She and Donovan are on their way to see a cryptologist to help solve the riddle on the music box. Cassie suggests they take a shortcut by the old train station.
Martha’s son, Dylan, and his wife, Claire, arrive. Martha receives a huge hug from a positively glowing Claire. Dylan thinks it’s funny she mentioned glowing as they have news. They are having a tiny Tinsdale. Martha is ecstatic and excited to become a Grandmama.
Sam gets a much-needed hug from Cassie as she asks how Adam is doing. Sam admits the surgery he has to perform on Adam is tricky. Cassie assures him that Adam could not be in better hands. Cassie is also nervous as she is interviewing for a temporary teaching position. Sam says she may not have taught in a classroom, but she shares lessons all the time.
As Martha and Claire have lunch together, Martha realizes her parenting approach is much different from Claire’s.
Donovan’s motorcycle breaks down in the middle of their shortcut past the old train station, leaving them stranded with no reception to call for help. Abigail decides to take a look around the old station and Donovan follows.
Stephanie tells Cassie about Adam’s refusal to tell his parents about his surgery. Cassie says what Adam needs is Stephanie. She encourages Stephanie to be there for Adam, and in turn she will be there for Stephanie.
Sam finds Adam out of bed making sure a patient gets a copy of “The Great Gatsby.” Sam reminds Adam he is now a patient and needs to get into bed. Before going to his room, Adam gives Sam a mixtape of music for the surgery.
At Martha’s historic house Carter arrives with primer, only to find Joy there waiting for him with a gift in hand: a suit. Joy got it for him so he won’t just fit in at Mia’s dinner - he’ll stand out. Joy owes him for not taking her truck, so this is her way of paying him back. Carter begrudgingly takes it. He cleans up well and feels like James Bond. Joy warns that James Bond never wore work boots. Carter looks down at his boots and realizes he needs to go shoe shopping.
Cassie’s interview with Professor Barnes begins with a question. Why is she is qualified for this role even though she has never taught? Cassie wants to inspire students to find their own Rembrandt, which bodes well for her interview as Rembrandt’s work is a favorite of Professor Barnes.
While stranded, Abigail and Donovan play a game to pass time. They take a word and use its letters to create an anagram. Donovan gets stumped when Abigail throws out the word “Dearport.” Abigail has an answer “teardrop.” She reminds Donovan of the riddle they have set out to decrypt, “with luck, love and one teardrop.”
While on campus at the quad, Cassie interacts with a student and reminisces about the time she watched a monk create a sand Mandala. Cassie grabs a pencil and starts to draw a mandala stating that it represents a temple that allows your artistic vision to take shape, transforming an ordinary mind to an enlightened one. Her lesson draws an interested crowd of students.
Stephanie keeps Adam company with a game of cards as he awaits surgery. He keeps things light with a game of go fish and a snack machine run for peanut butter crackers.
Donovan and Abigail search for the diamond at the abandoned train station. No diamonds are found but they do find a plaque from 1819. Donovan realizes the building was not originally a train station; it was a stagecoach stop. Abigail and Donovan look over an old stagecoach. Suddenly, a sign falls, revealing an old stagecoach schedule. The only destination still standing is the clock tower. Just then they get reception back and can now call for a ride to the clock tower.
Cassie greets Martha and Claire at the bookstore as they look for some items for the baby’s nursery. Their tastes do not align but Cassie thinks she may have something they both will like - a silk bamboo baby blanket. Martha thinks this is the perfect gift for Grandmama to give the little bambino. However, Claire does not like the color, driving another wedge in their attempt to bond.
Joy brings Cassie a pizza. It’s right on time as Cassie needs it to soften the blow of not getting the teaching job.
Sam checks in on Adam. As a Chaplain used to helping patients, Adam finds it weird to actually be the patient. Sam suggests they take a walk. On the walk Adam admits he is scared but he is glad to be going through this with Sam by his side.
At the clock tower, Donovan and Abigail find a clock with an anagram for “open” printed on it. Donovan opens up the clock and finds a monocle. He uses it to look for additional clues but finds nothing.
Joy works on a mandala of her own. It reminds her of building sandcastles. Cassie remembers a time she and Joy’s mom built sandcastles together.
Abigail feels the day took a sad turn. Donovan points out a statue of a crying woman and jokes she agrees with Abigail’s sentiment. Abigail notices the statue is shedding one single teardrop. Abigail uses the monocle to look over the statute and finds hidden letters. The letters are definitely not an anagram, so they have more digging to do.
Professor Barnes comes to Grey House as Cassie is the talk of the campus. She asks Cassie to bring what she brought to the quad to the classroom. Cassie accepts the job.
Martha and Claire both realize they need to accept each other for who they are, especially as their family’s nest is growing. Martha will always be there for Claire as much, or as little, as Claire would like.
Joy finds Carter sanding in his suit shirt and wonders what happened at dinner. He was there and now he is not, since he and Mia broke up. Joy feels like it is her fault, but Carter is glad this happened. It made him realizes that and Mia were not right for each other.
Abigail and Donovan show Sam the monocle and letters they found. Sam notices it’s a part of cypher. If they find the other piece, they’ll be able to crack the code.
Stephanie finds Adam in the hospital chapel and comforts him. Meanwhile, Cassie has finished her mandala. She helps comfort Sam, allowing him to relax before surgery by sweeping the mandala away.